NBCUniversal Launches Original Programming for Digital Platforms, VOD

NBCUniversal is launching a digital-first programming initiative to provide content for its digital platforms including Hulu, and its video-on-demand outlets, the company announced Tuesday.

The content will, in many cases, be brand sponsored and developed in collaboration with advertising partners. All of NBCU’s television networks will promote the digital offerings, ad sales president Linda Yaccarino said in a statement.

“The combination of digital video alongside television content is extremely powerful and becoming an increasingly important part of the connection advertisers make with consumers,” Yacarrino said. “We want to offer our partners the unique ability to harness the power of our creative assets along with our distribution capabilities including the video-on-demand platform like no other company can do.”

The first series from Universal Cable Productions are “Tesla and Twain,” described as a comedy loosely based around the real friendship between inventor Nikola Tesla and author Mark Twain but set in modern day Los Angeles, and “Last Single Girl,” about an over-educated and underemployed young woman coming to terms with being single while all of her friends are getting married.

UCP is also developing original series in collaboration with 72 and Sunny Productions.

The first series from Universal Television to launch on NBC.com will be “Saturday Night Line,” an interactive digital series featuring fans waiting in line for “Saturday Night Live,” and “Heroes Reborn: Digital Series,” the online prequel to NBC’s “Heroes” limited series.

“Saturday Night Line” is produced in conjunction with Broadway Video’s Above Average Productions, and “Heroes Reborn: Digital Series” is from executive producer Tim Kring‘s Tailwind Productions.